The present invention relates generally to delay elements and methods, and more particularly, to an opto-mechanical controlled variable RF/microwave delay element and method.
Conventional delay elements used to delay an RF or microwave signal have typically employed variable index optical fibers and a tunable laser, or variable drift velocity multi-gate field effect transistors, for example. Problems with such conventional delay elements used to delay an RF or microwave signals include very limited delay range and signal distortion, for example. It would be desirable to have a delay element and method that is capable of large delay variation and signal linearity.
Therefore, it would be an improvement to have a variable RF/microwave delay element and method that overcomes the limitations of conventional delay elements and methods.